The day after (Jerome/closed)

Jerome couldn't stay for long inside that house, even as big as it was. He needed fresh air, sunlight...things he often shunned amongst his gaming lifestyle. But this place...and the people have had a strange effect on him. He felt different here...though he didn't understand how or why. He looked at the vanity mirror again as he sat on the edge of the bed and examined himself in it or the second time. Some bandages had come off since most of his wounds were minor to begin with, but his neck wound was still heavily bandaged. The bandages were darkened as well, as if the wound had opened in his sleep. The wave of stinging pain on his collarbone affirmed that is exactly what happened. He needed to walk, if he stayed stationary, the pain in his legs would tense up and become worse. So, he stood up and walked to a small pile of clothes on the counter...no shirt, but black denim pants and some boxers.

He slipped them on and decided to head out to the courtyard, his bare feet padding around the hardwood flooring to the outdoor corridor. Ah...7 AM and the sun was shining nice and bright and soon the stony floor was replaced by the refreshing tickle of freshly cut grass. He looked around at the bushes, perfectly trimmed and just stood there, his eyes closing as his body soaked in the rays of the sun.

His messy hair flung to the side as he heard his name  being called in that familiar feminine dutch accent...Lisa was home? He hadn't seen a car anywhere, nor had he seen her around. She came bearing food. Sweet. He took it from her with a nod to her, eyes bright and open. He then took a bite of toast. "Also your clothes are done drying, if you wish to change, ya?" 

He nodded again, then spoke. "Perhaps later, but thank you. I like the feel of the sun on my chest. I'm sorry I didn't find you, I thought you had left for work."

"Perhaps later, but thank you. I like the feel of the sun on my chest. I'm sorry I didn't find you, I thought you had left for work."


Lisa eyed him a moment as if thinking.  As she moved, she kept an eye on his movements and his breaths.  It was indiscreet until she walked straight up to him and stared him down.  Brown eyes rolled down his body. After a thorough circling, she stood up straight and stared hard into his eyes.  A check for trauma was necessary, however to her 'patient' he probably hadn't a clue what she was doing when she moved close enough their noses touched. 

A sound caught her attention and she snapped back.  "Looking much better."  With a smile on her face, she closed her eyes.  "How are you feeling, Jerome?  Anything you need?  Painkillers?  Water..?" Not long after, she plopped her behind right on the bench beside him and nodded a bit.  "I didn't expect you to be on your feet so soon.  Be careful, ya?  i would hate your wounds to reopen again."

What was she doing? Well...it looked like she was just walking around him, examining his body with those big, brown eyes. It made him feel a bit uncomfortable. Wait, uncomfortable? Wasn't Jerome the one that was supposed to be making girls uncomfortable, slowly warming them up before they decided to make a trip to his apartment? No woman had ever made him feel uncomfortable...except Danielle. But this was different, since Lisa didn't have jumper cables in her hands. She began staring him down then, noses almost touching. It certainly was a bit...awkward. Time for a Fontaine wisecrack. "See something you like?" She snapped back almost instantly. "Looking much better." He smiled a bit, like she had meant more than just the wounds. Messing with people was funny, but this was more like a few jokes between friends.

She smiled at him...so concerned about him...Jerome just realized something. He'd never seen so much concern given to his well-being. Not at work....not at home...nowhere. Why did she care so much? She soon plopped down, Jerome shaking his head at all of her offers. He wouldn't say how much pain he was in. As much as he never had, he actually cared if Lisa worried about him...what was so different about her. "I didn't expect you to be on your feet so soon. Be careful, ya? i would hate your wounds to reopen again."

He only skimmed his neck bandage as he sat down beside her, hissing a bit. "A little too late unfortunately, it opened up in my sleep. I should be okay. But, we Fontaines are tough as nails, no need to worry 'bout me, Lisa. Worry ruins that pretty face of yours." Some more flirting, but it was a great icebreaker. He kept rubbing his wound, unable to stop. If he let it stew, the pain would get worse.

"A little too late unfortunately, it opened up in my sleep. I should be okay. But, we Fontaines are tough as nails, no need to worry 'bout me, Lisa. Worry ruins that pretty face of yours."

Her face lit up like fireworks.. particularly red ones. She stared at him with eyes wide as saucers, but soon brushed the compliment by and laughed lightly. He was a flirtatious one, it seemed. Her eyes were closed, but amused, but the smile faded when thoughts returned away from his completely ridiculous compliment.

Rub, rub. He kept messing with the wound. It clearly was bothering him and yet he didn't want to admit it. She shifted and tapped his hand. "It's due time to redo your bandages, come."

She offered her palm to him, her smile a bit wide. She really was worried about him and she wanted to ease his pain some, even if he wouldn't admit he was bothered. It was pride, likely. All men had it and he had been hurt enough, so helping him in secret would be the best bet. She had an idea to sneak some icy hot upon the area around the cut, then apply ointment over the wound. .. Naturally she wouldn't say a word about it to him. She didn't want him to be upset about it.

Even THINKING about lying or hiding something felt wrong, but it was for a better purpose. Whether he actually grabbed her hand or not didn't matter, she'd already laced it and began tugging him down the pretty much empty halls.

Ah, bright red cheeks, a flow of blood to the head as an overflow of emotion is felt. Or blush to the layman. It was something Jerome often saw and it still made him do that triumphant smirk he so proudly displayed. There was something fulfilling about making girls blush to him that just mad him feel accomplished. Almost sad really, how his only accomplishments in life is causing women to nip at his heels and narcissisticily praising his gaming and demon slaying skills. But he was not in the mood to think of the latter after suffering such a defeat at the hands of his own teammate. It still bugged him as to just how he was beaten in speed and his hand eye coordination had misjudged the blade position. He stared at the ground, scowling. "I can't just stay here...the others might be looking for me. And I will show them I'm not weak. I won't let them think me as some...fucking damsel in distress...I wonder if they're even looking for me."

He hadn't heard a word she said; him mind was that deep in thought on the subject. He saw a hand extended to him and he took it, following her arm up to her face with his eyes. He'd never seen such a genuine, pure smile given to him. He stood up, staring at her a bit oddly, confused. Who was this woman? Really...who was she? Jerome was a man of little concern for people, worrying about himself above all others. Sure, during the Den raid, he had saved his fellow Hunters on a few occasions. But there were several points to it, mainly being that they were Aviax. Nothing he hadn't handled before. They were no succubi and he KNEW he could save them. Jerome, while enjoying being on top, only took on what he knew he could. If he were to meet a Kur head-on, he'd run for the hills, but Aviax? Please, he's trying not to laugh already.

Soon, he was being dragged through the hallway, watching Lisa as she tugged on their laced hands...Was she taking him to her room? Jerome had been in this situation many a time, being dragged to an empty room by a pretty girl, whether it be work or not. But no...it was his room. There was a first aid kit on the stand as well...ohhhhhhhhh. She was going to fix his bandages. Alright. He let her hand go and took a seat on the foot of the bed, stretching out his tense muscles. "I'll have to train once I'm better...besides, I doubt the guys are looking."